Milan fashion week offered some of the most sumptuous fabrics and shades, from Roberto Cavalli showcasing baroque textures to vibrant hues at D&G. In cased you missed them, here’s a rundown of the hottest trends from the Italian runways: bold colors, 70’s influence, baroque elements, and menswear inspiration.
The Milan designers were all about color for fall and winter, as witnessed by shades of royal violet and teal at Versace, furs and sheer chiffon gowns in forest greens at Gucci, and playful brights at D&G. Sixties-inspired drop-waist, big-buttoned coats in red, lime and teal made their way down the Prada catwalk, as did fluffy furs in burnt orange.
The Blumarine show literally exploded with bright orange, deep violet, and canary yellow after presenting typical “fall” black and nude frocks. And Just Cavalli, ever daring, proposed paisley print as well as loose pants and cropped tops in antique pink, violet, red and peacock.
Over at Missoni, Gucci, and Marni there was a ’70s feel, with Missoni offering groovy knits in sugary pastels like cotton candy pink and powder blue. Silhouettes were loose and relaxed in coats and maxi cardigans, buttressed by flat snake skinned boots. Easy shifts at Marni seemed pegged for a working girl with their generous prints, long black leather gloves, and prim shoes. And the ’70s were evoked yet again in the Gucci collection, whose lineup included sharp, wide-brimmed fedoras with feathers, fox stoles and voluminous fur jackets.
Rich baroque influences could be felt at Emilio Pucci and Roberto Cavalli, thanks to belted gold brocade coats and rich embroidery. Pucci presented sinewy emerald green dresses edged with lace and structured corsets peppered with stones. Robert Cavalli stayed true to his animal prints, but took the signature look further with metallic leather embellished jackets in antique or burnished gold.
Perhaps taking a cue from New York collections, Moschino and Dolce & Gabbana were rife with menswear influences. Inspired by navel uniforms, Moschino added feminine flourishes to stuffy suits with large ruffles, tight tailoring, gold lame accents, and large costume jewelry. Dolce & Gabbana balanced out the sheer starry prints in their Fall 2011 collection with slim boy cut suits worn with funky flat oxfords in a rainbow of cheeky colors.